A trusted accountant who syphoned off money from an estate agent over a four-year period has been jailed for three years.
Richard Sullivan, 45, took £240,000 from Sedge Homes in Spalding, Lincolnshire, and its associated Sedge Estate Agents.
Lincoln Crown Court heard that the sums taken were so great that they prejudiced the business.
The money had been taken to fund Sullivan’s lavish lifestyle as well as to go into his own firm.
Mark Knowles, prosecuting, said Sullivan had been paid a monthly fee to produce accounts, settle tax bills and pay suppliers.
But between 2008 and 2012, he syphoned off money into his own firm, and also failed to pay the bills.
The thefts came to light in October 2012, when concern was expressed about the number of final reminders Sedge was getting.
Checks revealed that unauthorised payments were being made to Sullivan’s firm and also elsewhere.
Mr Knowles said that Sullivan was a long-standing friend of the boss of Sedge Homes and had been trusted both professionally and personally.
When challenged as to the missing money, he initially said £30,000 was involved, but later admitted to having taken a much larger amount.
Mr Knowles said: “The sums taken prejudiced the business and caused them to have insufficient funds to meet tax liabilities.”
Defending, Richard Fisher said that Sullivan and his wife had had personal tragedies including the death of their son.
Sullivan had been a coach at a local rugby club and helped his local church.
Mr Fisher pressed unsuccessfully for a suspended jail sentence, with Judge Michael Heath telling Sullivan: “This was a very serious breach of trust.”
After the case, Detective Inspector Lance Morgan said that Sullivan had chosen to “masquerade as a wealthy and successful businessman, living a lavish lifestyle that was extravagant and beyond his means.”
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